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Abstract:

An airbag apparatus or the like in which the form of breaking of a tear
line can be made more stable, and the deployment positions of an airbag
cover and a bag portion can be made more stable is provided. An airbag
apparatus includes a bag portion formed of a base cloth panel in a bag
shape and deployed and inflated in front of a driver by being supplied
with gas for deployment, an inflator that generates the gas for
deployment, a retaining container in which the bag portion not in use is
housed and at the top of which an opening is provided, and an airbag
cover that substantially covers the opening of the retaining container
when not in use and a front portion of which rises to uncover the opening
when the bag portion is deployed and inflated. The airbag apparatus is
provided in front of a seat of a saddle-ride type vehicle. The airbag
cover has a tear line that is provided in the vicinity of the front end
and extends substantially along the vehicle width direction and that is
broken by input from the bag portion when the bag portion is deployed and
inflated, and an opening is provided in the middle of the tear line in
the vehicle width direction.

Claims:

1. An airbag apparatus comprising: a bag portion formed of a base cloth
panel in a bag shape and deployed and inflated in front of a driver by
being supplied with gas for deployment; an inflator that generates the
gas for deployment; a retaining container in which the bag portion not in
use is housed and at the top of which an opening is provided; and an
airbag cover that substantially covers the opening of the retaining
container when not in use and a front portion of which rises to uncover
the opening when the bag portion is deployed and inflated, the airbag
apparatus being provided in front of a seat of a saddle-ride type
vehicle, wherein the airbag cover includes an upper surface portion, a
front surface portion, a rear surface portion, and side surface portions
that are integrally formed, the upper surface portion is a decorative
surface exposed on the outside of the vehicle, the front surface portion
is a plate-like surface portion protruding downward from the front end of
the upper surface portion, the front surface portion has a tear line that
extends substantially along the vehicle width direction and that is
broken by input from the bag portion when the bag portion is deployed and
inflated, and an opening that functions as a starting point where the
tear line starts to break is provided in the middle of the tear line in
the vehicle width direction.

2. An airbag cover provided in an airbag apparatus including a bag
portion formed of a base cloth panel in a bag shape and deployed and
inflated in front of a driver by being supplied with gas for deployment,
an inflator that generates the gas for deployment, and a retaining
container in which the bag portion not in use is housed and at the top of
which an opening is provided, the airbag apparatus being provided in
front of a seat of a saddle-ride type vehicle, the airbag cover
substantially covering the opening of the retaining container when not in
use, a front portion of the airbag cover rising to uncover the opening
when the bag portion is deployed and inflated, wherein the airbag cover
includes an upper surface portion, a front surface portion, a rear
surface portion, and side surface portions that are integrally formed,
the upper surface portion is a decorative surface exposed on the outside
of the vehicle, the front surface portion is a plate-like surface portion
protruding downward from the front end of the upper surface portion, the
front surface portion has a tear line that extends substantially along
the vehicle width direction and that is broken by input from the bag
portion when the bag portion is deployed and inflated, and an opening
that functions as a starting point where the tear line starts to break is
provided in the middle of the tear line in the vehicle width direction.

Description:

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an airbag apparatus provided in a
saddle-ride type vehicle such as a motorcycle and having a bag portion
that deploys and inflates in front of an occupant at the time of a
collision or the like, and an airbag cover provided in such an airbag
apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] It is proposed to provide a saddle-ride type vehicle such as a
motorcycle on the vehicle body of which an occupant such as a driver
straddles to ride, with an airbag apparatus having a bag portion that
deploys and inflates in front of the occupant to restrain the occupant at
the time of a collision or the like.

[0003] For example, in PTL 1, there is described an airbag apparatus that
houses a bag in a retaining box provided in front of an occupant's seat
and that deploys and inflates the bag upward from the retaining box to
restrain the upper body of an occupant at the time of a vehicle collision
or the like.

[0004] In PTL 1, a front-opening cover having a hinge on the vehicle rear
side thereof is provided on the top of the retaining box, and the bag
portion is configured to inflate while push-opening this cover.

[0005] The cover serves to restrict the deployment direction so that the
bag portion deploys and inflates in front of the occupant.

[0006] The cover is formed, for example, of a resin-based material. The
hinge side and the opposite side of the cover are fixed to the retaining
box. When the bag portion deploys and inflates, a tear line provided at
the end on the side opposite to the hinge side of the cover breaks, and
the cover is thereby opened.

[0007] The tear line is a fragile portion formed by reducing the thickness
of a part of the cover in a groove-like fashion.

[0008] As a conventional art related to such a tear line of a cover, for
example, in PTL 2, it is described to provide a tear line that tears when
an airbag deploys and inflates, in an erect portion of a cover, and to
form a plurality of holes through which belts are passed and that are
spaced apart in the vehicle width direction, on the tear line.

[0011] In the above-described cover having a tear line, it is desired to
make the form of breaking of the tear line closer to bilaterally
symmetric, and to make the deployment positions of the airbag cover and
the bag portion more stable.

[0012] In view of the above-described problem, it is an object of the
present invention to provide an airbag apparatus in which the form of
breaking of a tear line can be made more stable, and the deployment
positions of an airbag cover and a bag portion can be made more stable,
and an airbag cover.

Solution to Problem

[0013] In order to solve the above problem, an airbag apparatus of the
present invention includes a bag portion formed of a base cloth panel in
a bag shape and deployed and inflated in front of a driver by being
supplied with gas for deployment, an inflator that generates the gas for
deployment, a retaining container in which the bag portion not in use is
housed and at the top of which an opening is provided, and an airbag
cover that substantially covers the opening of the retaining container
when not in use and a front portion of which rises to uncover the opening
when the bag portion is deployed and inflated. The airbag apparatus is
provided in front of a seat of a saddle-ride type vehicle. The airbag
cover has a tear line that is provided in the vicinity of the front end
and extends substantially along the vehicle width direction and that is
broken by input from the bag portion when the bag portion is deployed and
inflated, and an opening is provided in the middle of the tear line in
the vehicle width direction.

[0014] An airbag cover of the present invention is an airbag cover
provided in an airbag apparatus including a bag portion formed of a base
cloth panel in a bag shape and deployed and inflated in front of a driver
by being supplied with gas for deployment, an inflator that generates the
gas for deployment, and a retaining container in which the bag portion
not in use is housed and at the top of which an opening is provided, the
airbag apparatus being provided in front of a seat of a saddle-ride type
vehicle. The airbag cover substantially covers the opening of the
retaining container when not in use, and a front portion of the airbag
cover rises to uncover the opening when the bag portion is deployed and
inflated. The airbag cover has a tear line that is provided in the
vicinity of the front end and extends substantially along the vehicle
width direction and that is broken by input from the bag portion when the
bag portion is deployed and inflated, and an opening is provided in the
middle of the tear line in the vehicle width direction.

[0015] According to each invention described above, the tear line breaks
bilaterally symmetrically from the opening, and therefore the forms of
deployment of the airbag cover and the bag portion can be made more
stable.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0016] As described above, according to the present invention, it is
possible to provide an airbag apparatus in which the form of breaking of
a tear line can be made more stable, and the forms of deployment of an
airbag cover and a bag portion can be made more stable, and an airbag
cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] [FIG. 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a motorcycle having an
embodiment of an airbag apparatus to which the present invention is
applied.

[0018] [FIG. 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the motorcycle of FIG.
1.

[0019] [FIG. 3] FIG. 3 is an exterior perspective view of the airbag
module provided in the motorcycle of FIG. 1, with the cover closed (with
the bag portion undeployed and uninflated).

[0020] [FIG. 4] FIG. 4 is a side view of the airbag module of FIG. 3, with
the cover closed.

[0021] [FIG. 5] FIG. 5 is an exterior perspective view of the airbag
module of FIG. 3, with the cover open (with the bag portion deployed and
inflated).

[0022] [FIG. 6] FIG. 6 is a side view of the airbag module of FIG. 3, with
the cover open.

[0024] [FIG. 8] FIG. 8 is an exterior perspective view only of the cover
of the airbag module of FIG. 3.

[0025] [FIG. 9] FIG. 9 is a side view of the cover of FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an airbag apparatus to which the
present invention is applied will be described.

[0027] The airbag apparatus of the embodiment is provided, for example, in
a motorcycle that is a saddle-ride type vehicle and includes a bag
portion that deploys and inflates in front of an occupant at the time of
a collision or the like.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a motorcycle having the airbag
apparatus of the embodiment.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the motorcycle of FIG. 1.

[0030] The motorcycle 1 includes a front wheel FW, a rear wheel RW, a
frame 10, a front fork 20, a swing arm 30, a seat 40, a seat cowl 50, a
tank 60, a steering handle 70, and a cowling 80.

[0031] The frame 10 is a structural member provided in the center of the
vehicle body, and an engine, a transmission, and accessories such as a
cooling device and a fuel supply device (not shown) are mounted in the
lower portion thereof.

[0032] The front fork 20 is a member that is rotatably mounted at the
front end of the frame 10 and that supports the front wheel FW, a front
brake, and the like.

[0033] The front fork 20 is a telescopic front suspension in which a
spring and a damper are housed and that is extensible and compressible.

[0034] A front fender 21 is provided over the front wheel FW in the front
fork 20.

[0035] The swing arm 30 is a member that is provided so as to protrude
rearward from the lower portion of the frame 10 and is swingably mounted
to the frame 10 and that supports the rear wheel RW.

[0036] A spring damper unit (not shown) of a rear suspension is provided
between the swing arm 30 and the frame 10.

[0037] The seat 40 is a portion on which the occupant sits astride, and is
provided on the top of the frame 10.

[0038] The seat cowl 50 is an exterior member disposed behind the seat 40
and over the rear wheel RW.

[0039] The tank 60 is a container that is provided in the upper portion of
the frame 10 in front of the seat 40 and that stores gasoline as fuel.

[0040] The tank 60 is provided at a position between the inner thighs of
both legs of the occupant.

[0041] An airbag module 100 to be described later is provided in a part of
the upper portion of the tank 60.

[0042] The steering handle 70 is an operating member that is formed so as
to protrude from the top of the front fork 20 toward the rear of the
vehicle and outward in the vehicle width direction and is gripped by the
fingers of the occupant.

[0043] The steering handle 70 is provided with a front brake lever, a
clutch lever, switches for various lights, and the like. The right-hand
grip also serves as a throttle operating portion.

[0044] The cowling (fairing) 80 is an exterior member that is formed, for
example, of a resin-based material and that covers the front portion of
the vehicle body.

[0045] The cowling 80 is a full cowling that mainly covers the upper
portion of the front fork 20, the front half of the frame 10, and the
engine.

[0046] The cowling 80 includes a headlight 81, mirrors 82, and a
windshield 83.

[0047] The headlight 81 is an illuminating device provided in the front
surface portion of the cowling 80.

[0048] The mirrors 82 are rearview means provided at the upper left and
right portions of the cowling 80.

[0049] The windshield 83 is a transparent portion provided on the top of
the front surface portion of the cowling 80 and is used for protecting
the occupant from the wind and the like.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 1, the airbag module 100 is provided in the upper
portion of the tank 60. The airbag module 100 deploys and inflates the
bag in front of the driver to receive and restrain the upper body of the
driver at the time of a collision of the motorcycle 1 or the like.

[0051] FIG. 3 is an exterior perspective view of the airbag module 100,
with the cover closed.

[0052] FIG. 4 is a side view of the airbag module 100, with the cover
closed.

[0053] FIG. 5 is an exterior perspective view of the airbag module 100,
with the cover open.

[0054] FIG. 6 is a side view of the airbag module 100, with the cover
open.

[0056] The airbag module 100 includes a bag 110, a retainer 120, a cover
130, webbings 140, and an inflator (not shown).

[0057] In FIG. 3 to FIG. 7, the depiction of the bag 110 and the inflator
is omitted.

[0058] The bag 110 is formed in a bag shape by sewing or bonding base
cloth panels together.

[0059] When not in use, the bag 110 is housed, for example, in a rolled or
accordion-folded state, in the retainer 120.

[0060] If an airbag control device (not shown) detects a collision using a
sensor provided, for example, in the front fork 20, the bag 110 is filled
with gas for deployment by the inflator, thereby push-opens the cover 130
as shown in FIG. 1, and deploys and inflates over the tank 60 to restrain
the upper body of the occupant.

[0061] The retainer 120 is formed in a box shape with its top open, for
example, by combining sheet metal members made by pressing a steel sheet.

[0062] The bag 110 is fixed to the retainer 120, with the inlet 111a
facing the lower surface of the retainer 120, using a bag ring 220 of the
inflator to be described later.

[0064] The lower surface portion 121 is a substantially flat plate-like
portion forming the bottom of the retainer 120.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 7, an opening 121a to which the inflator is
attached is formed in the lower surface portion 121.

[0066] In order to fasten the retainer 120, for example, to the frame 10
of the vehicle body, flange portions 121b laterally protruding from the
retainer 120 are formed around the lower surface portion 121,

[0067] The front surface portion 122 has a lower portion 122a that is a
substantially flat plate-like inclined surface formed so as to extend
obliquely upward from the front end of the lower surface portion 121, and
an upper portion 122b that extends upward from the upper end of the lower
portion 122a.

[0068] The retainer 120 side ends of the webbings 140 are fixed to both
ends of the lower portion 122a in the vehicle width direction.

[0069] The front surface portion 132 of the cover 130 is fixed to the
upper portion 122b.

[0070] The rear surface portion 123 is a substantially flat plate-like
portion formed so as to extend upward from the rear end of the lower
surface portion 121.

[0071] The side surface portions 124 are substantially flat plate-like
portions formed so as to extend upward from both the left and right ends
of the lower surface portion 121, and the front ends and rear ends
thereof are joined to both the left and right ends of the front surface
portion 122 and the rear surface portion 123.

[0072] The cover 130 is a lid-like member that covers the top of the
retainer 120 when not in use. When the bag 110 deploys and inflates, as
shown in FIG. 1, the cover 130 rotates to open about a hinge disposed,
for example, on the vehicle rear side thereof, and restricts the
deployment direction of the bag 110.

[0073] FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are respectively an exterior perspective view and
a side view only of the cover 130.

[0074] FIG. 8 shows the cover 130 seen obliquely from the front and
obliquely from below.

[0075] The cover 130 includes an upper surface portion 131, a front
surface portion 132, a rear surface portion 133, and side surface
portions 134 that are integrally formed, for example, of a resin-based
material.

[0076] The upper surface portion 131 is a surface portion that
substantially covers the upper opening of the retainer 120 when not in
use.

[0077] The upper surface portion 131 is formed in a curved surface shape
having a shape continuous with the outer surface of the tank 60, and
functions as a decorative surface exposed on the outside of the vehicle.

[0078] The front surface portion 132 is a substantially plate-like surface
portion protruding downward from the front end of the upper surface
portion 131.

[0079] The front surface portion 132 is fixed to the upper portion 122b of
the front surface portion 122 of the retainer 120 using, for example,
rivets.

[0080] A tear line 132a extending substantially along the vehicle width
direction and formed like a groove so as to be smaller in thickness than
the other portions is formed in the vicinity of the upper end of the
front surface portion 132.

[0081] This tear line 132a is a fragile portion that is broken by the
pressing force that the upper surface portion 131 is subjected to from
the bag 110 at the time of deployment and inflation of the bag 110.

[0082] An elongate hole-like opening 132b that is elongate in the vehicle
width direction is formed in the middle of the tear line 132a. This
opening 132a functions as a starting point where the tear line 132a
starts to break.

[0083] When the cover 130 is opened, the part of the front surface portion
132 below the tear line 132a remains on the retainer 120 side, and only
the part above the tear line 132a rotates and rises together with the
upper surface portion 131.

[0084] The rear surface portion 133 is a substantially plate-like surface
portion protruding downward from the rear end of the upper surface
portion 131.

[0085] The rear surface portion 133 is fixed to the rear surface portion
123 of the retainer 120 using, for example, rivets.

[0086] A hinge portion (not shown) that bends when the cover 130 is opened
is formed on the top of the rear surface portion 133 by reducing the
thickness like a groove.

[0087] The side surface portions 134 are substantially flat plate-like
portions protruding downward from both the left and right ends of the
upper surface portion 131.

[0088] Slits 134a are formed in the side surface portions 134.

[0089] The slits 134a extend upward from the lower ends of the rear parts
of the side surface portions 134, the upper parts thereof curve toward
the rear surface portion 133, and the upper ends thereof are disposed
near the upper ends and rear ends of the side surface portions 134.

[0090] Gaps are formed between the front ends of the side surface portions
134 and the lateral ends of the front surface portion 132.

[0091] When the cover 130 is opened, the parts of the side surface
portions 134 in front of the slits 134a rock and rise together with the
upper surface portion 131, and the parts of the side surface portions 134
behind the slits 134a remain on the retainer 120 side. The parts of the
side surface portions 134a behind the slits 134a are fixed to the side
surface portions 124 of the retainer 120, for example, with rivets.

[0092] When the bag 110 deploys and inflates, the webbings 140 restrict
the rocking of the cover 130 to restrict the deployment direction of the
bag 110.

[0093] The webbings 140 are each formed by providing a retainer side metal
fitting 141 and a cover side metal fitting 142 at both ends of a main
body portion formed in a belt-like shape.

[0094] The retainer side metal fittings 141 are fixed to the lower portion
122a of the front surface portion 122 of the retainer 120, for example,
with rivets.

[0095] The cover side metal fittings 142 are connected to the parts of the
side surface portions 134 of the cover 130 in front of the slits 134a so
as to be able to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to the
side surface portions 134.

[0096] The inflator generates gas for deployment that deploys and inflates
the bag portion 100 when an airbag control unit (not shown) detects a
vehicle collision.

[0097] The airbag control unit determines the vehicle collision, for
example, when an acceleration sensor provided in the front fork 20
detects a deceleration greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold
value.

[0098] According to the present embodiment described above, the tear line
132a provided in the front surface portion 132 of the cover 130 breaks
bilaterally symmetrically from the opening 132b, and therefore the
deployment positions of the cover 130 and the bag 110 can be made more
stable.

[0099] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the
above-described embodiment, and may be appropriately changed. Examples of
such changes include the following, which are also within the scope of
the present invention.

(1) The airbag apparatus of the above-described embodiment is provided in
a motorcycle as an example. The present invention is not limited to this,
and can also be applied to other types of saddle-ride type vehicles such
as ATVs. (2) The shape, structure, material, manufacturing method,
arrangement, and the like of each part forming the airbag apparatus are
not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately
changed. (3) In the above-described embodiment, the bag is deployed and
inflated after a vehicle collision is detected. However, the present
invention is not limited to this. The bag may be deployed and inflated in
response to the detection of a precursor of a vehicle collision
(pre-crash).